This tutorial is my own creation. Any resemblence to another is purely co-incidental. Please do not pull it apart and claim it as your own. Do not translate it or place it on another site without my written permission. You are more than welcome to use this tutorial in a group setting. Please link to this page only.

Tools needed to complete this tutorial.

Paint Shop Pro V8

A tube of your choice.
The tube I have used along the side border is used with permission from Pat Jaffarian. Thanks Pat for allowing me to use your wonderful tubes in my tutorials.

No outside filters were used.

If you have everything you need, lets get started.

1. Open your tube of choice.

2. Open a 1024 x 800 transparent image.

3. Using your dropper tool, select a light and dark colour from your tube.

4. In your color palette, change your foreground to gradient, Angle 0, Repeats 1.

5. Flood fill your transparent image.

6. Effects, texture effects, blinds and use the following settings:
   • Width:     35
     
   • Opacity:    40
     
   • Color:    The darkest of the two you chose from your tube
     
   • Horizontal:    UNchecked
     
   • Light from left/top:    Checked

7. Effects, texture effects, Mosaic glass and use the following settings:-
   • Number of columns and rows:    25
     
   • Glass curvature:    25
     
   • Edge curvature:    0
     
   • Grout width:    10
     
   • Grout diffusion:    50
     
   • Symmetric:    Checked

8. Adjust, sharpen, sharpen more.

9. Edit, repeat, sharpen more.

10. Using your selection tool set to rounded rectangle, plus your mouse at coordinates 100,100 and drag out your rectangle to cover the rest of the graphic.

11. Selections, invert.

12. Effects, texture effects, blinds and use the previous settings, but this time check horizontal as well as light from left/top.

13. Effects, texture effects, mosaic glass and use the settings as before.

14. Adjust, sharpen, sharpen more.

15. Edit, repeat, sharpen more.

16. Effects, 3D effects, drop shadow and use the following settings:
    • Vertical:     0
      
    • Horizontal:    6
      
    • Opacity:     35
      
    • Blur:    14
      
    • Color:    Black
      
    • Shadow on new layer:    UNchecked.

17. Deselect.

18. Go back to your tube, resize if necessary, edit, copy and you can now close the tube down.

19. Back to your background image, edit, paste as new layer.

20. Using your mover tool, move the tube over to the top left hand corner.

21. Duplicate this layer.

22. Close the duplicate layer off by clicking on the eye.

23. Making sure the tube layer is the active layer, go to effects, texture effects, Mosaic glass, and use the same settings as before.

24. Open the duplicate layer (the top layer).

25. Effects, 3D Effects, drop shadow and use the same settings as before.

26. Add a new raster layer and add your watermark.

27. File, export, JPEG optimizer and set compression to around the 15/20 mark.

28. Merge all flatten and take into Letter Creator.

    Note: Letter Creator is a product that comes with IncrediMail. You can download a copy of IncrediMail HERE.

    
        

    
    
    © An Aushorty Creation